Deadshot (Arkhamverse)

Deadshot
General Information
Real name:	Floyd Lawton
First Appearance:	Batman: Arkham City (Batman #59)
Created by:	Bob Kane David Vern Reed Lew Schwartz
Affiliations:	Black Mask The Joker The Penguin Suicide Squad Zoey Lawton Hugo Strange
Abilities:	Master marksman Military experience Among the best sharpshooters in the world
Portrayed by:	Chris Cox (Rocksteady) Neal McDonough (Assault on Arkham)

"Hello Batman. I see you decoded my message. Well done. But I'm afraid playtime's over. Come meet me at the bank so I can put a bullet in you and collect my prize. Oh - and in case you're thinking of backing out - I've got a hostage and a very itchy trigger finger."

―Deadshot

Floyd Lawton, also known as Deadshot, is arguably the world's greatest shot and hit man for hire, priding himself in never missing a shot or target. Having grown up in an extremely abusive childhood, Floyd's life forever changed when he accidentally took the life of his beloved brother during an attempt to kill his abusive and alcoholic father with a rifle.

While Lawton is institutionalized, his mother commits suicide while Lawton convinces himself to never miss a shot ever again and trains himself to become a true "Deadshot." When Lawton is finally released, he murders his father in retaliation for the abuse he made him and the rest of his family suffer through. Since then, he has committed himself to become a hired mercenary for lucrative parties in exchange for money, unique ammunition, and the thrill of hunting down his targets. 

While enjoying his occupation, Deadshot's true hope is to die in an incredible fashion, having developed suicidal tendencies throughout his rough upbringing. Taking notice of his amazing skills, Hugo Strange employs Deadshot as his contract assassin to kill several political prisoners who are the biggest threats to Strange's position within Arkham City. This new employment offers Deadshot the opportunity to finally kill Batman, the only person who has ever made him miss a shot, a fact that Deadshot hopes to change.

Biography

Batman: Arkham Origins

Deadshot is one of the eight assassins hired by the Joker, under the guise of Black Mask, to kill Batman. He initially attempted to kill Batman with a sniper round, also interfering with Deathstroke's assassination attempt on the Caped Crusader. He eventually tried to finish Batman off by shooting off a crane cable holding a cargo container up with the intention of having Batman crushed under it, although the vigilante managed to escape into the night. After Batman managed to escape, he found the sniper round.

His attempt to kill Batman later involved shooting down a police helicopter on Christmas Eve, in order to get his attention. In the process, he also killed a cop who aimed a gun at Batman by ricocheting the shot off of him and onto the helicopter. He also carved in the expelled shell casing his frequency, anticipating that Batman would trace him down as the shooter.

After finding out Deadshot was behind this, Batman hacked into his radio frequency and Deadshot told him to confront him at the Gotham Merchants Bank, also revealing he has a hostage with him and that he has "a very itchy trigger finger" in order to ensure Batman does not back out of his fighting him.

At the Gotham Merchants Bank, Batman confronted Deadshot and his henchmen while avoiding his ricochet shots. After defeating him, Deadshot accepts his defeat and asks Batman to give him a swift death, but he refuses and leaves him to be arrested.

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate

A few months later, Deadshot participated in the riot at Blackgate, also selling his services to Joker, Black Mask, and the Penguin to receive triple the regular pay (although he kept this fact a secret from his employers). However, he was defeated by Batman, and eventually captured by Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad, and recruited into the organization.

Batman: Assault on Arkham

"Play fair and I'll shoot straight. Jerk me around and I'll kill you."

―Deadshot

At some point after joining the Suicide Squad, he underwent several missions, also earning a rivalry with fellow member Captain Boomerang. He also managed to sire a daughter named Zoe Lawton, who was implied to have curbed his suicidal tendencies somewhat.

At some point, Floyd Lawton ended up locked up in a maximum security prison. He then attempted to undergo a jailbreak using only a pen to break the cuffs and kill one of the armed escorts. However, he ended up drugged by one of the medical attendants, and was presumably shipped back out to the Suicide Squad headquarters. Harley Quinn, who at that point had broken up with her abusive boyfriend, the Joker, tried to strike a relationship with Deadshot. They then underwent a mission to Arkham Asylum, allegedly to retrieve data stolen from Waller by the Riddler.

He then was airdropped into Gotham City alongside the other members of the Suicide Squad (Boomerang, Quinn, Killer Frost, Black Spider, and King Shark), with him eventually demanding that Amanda Waller open the chutes due to their being very perilously close to being killed. Afterwards, he and Quinn briefly struck up a destructive one night stand as well as had a brief darts game with Boomerang that ended with the latter coming very close to killing him when trying to replicate Deadshot's throws. He and the other members of the Suicide Squad then met up with the Penguin at the Iceberg Lounge to get a file allowing for their entry into Arkham Asylum.

However, because of Harley Quinn, back when she was still with the Joker, setting fire to one of Penguin's shipments and dumping them into the river earlier, the meeting nearly ended disastrously due to Penguin having rage against her, with Deadshot managing to talk Penguin out of it by pointing out that killing his clients would reflect badly on the latter in future business. Deadshot then left Harley Quinn to raid a toy store specifically to lure Batman out so she could be "arrested," as part of the plan to break into Arkham Asylum. However, during the ensuing confrontation between Quinn and Batman, Deadshot alongside the rest of the squad also learned about Joker's placing a dirty bomb inside Gotham City when Batman interrogated her, and Deadshot demanded to know from Waller what Batman was referring to.

After Harley Quinn successfully got herself arrested, Deadshot disguised himself as a guard escort, although he temporarily ran into a hitch in the plan due to the Intensive Care Treatment (which was the room before the Junction Box) containing the Joker's cell, with Joker spotting Quinn, as well as Quinn trying to kill Joker in a frenzy due largely to her ex-boyfriend's abusive nature. Joker then recognized Deadshot from having previously worked with him. After reconvening with the group, a gas explosion occurred, resulting in Arkham Asylum being placed under yellow alert, thus making Batman's arrival inevitable.

He, alongside the rest of the squad, later got into a fight in the exercise yard due to King Shark forgoing subtlety, also telling Waller that there was a malfunction in the security footage when she mentioned they weren't in the yard (in actuality, the "footage" was from the day before, planted by the Suicide Squad in a failed attempt to delay Batman from figuring out that anything was off at Arkham Asylum). He later fought Batman in the evidence room, although most of his weaponry was damaged during the fight that resulted in the evidence warehouse being destroyed.

He later discovered that they had been played by Waller regarding the mission, and that the true mission was actually to kill the Riddler. However, Killer Frost decided against it after Riddler revealed how to destroy the bombs implanted into them. He was then subjected to electrotherapy to shut down the bombs, thus saving him from certain death when Waller decided to detonate all of the bombs (which killed both Black Spider and King Shark, resulting in Batman being exposed as having disguised himself as the former).

He then was interrogated by Batman about why they were there, with Deadshot answering that Amanda Waller wanted Riddler dead. However, before the interrogation could continue, Joker interfered, attempting to kill everyone in the room. After saving Harley Quinn and fleeing the room with the rest of the squad, they later encountered the Joker near the laundry chute. Quinn ended up rejoining the Joker, although the latter tried to kill him for "touching his stuff". Deadshot then bluffed Joker into wasting his only shot and getting his arm gun back, causing Captain Boomerang to be shocked that Deadshot "out-crazied the Joker."

He later deduced that Joker placed the bomb into Harley's hammer, and also witnessed Joker's message to Batman after encountering him again with them remaining members of the Suicide Squad. He and the other members then fought each other for the chopper, with his eventually getting the chopper. However, Joker and Harley Quinn were revealed to have stowed away onboard the chopper, with Joker considering killing him mid-flight. Deadshot then fought Joker onboard the chopper (with the fight being made more dangerous after Quinn was forced to pilot the otherwise unmanned chopper after it nearly collided with a building).

The chopper later crashed into a building, with Deadshot fighting against the Joker, being severely wounded in the process by the clown-like psychopath, although he nonetheless gave him enough difficulty that Joker admitted he was the only one not named Batman to be "a real pain in [Joker's] ass." Deadshot nonetheless managed to defeat him, also trapping him in the grounded helicopter via pinning him to the back with Joker's own daggers, and had it fall off the building, although not before doing his signature "bang" move against the Joker. Adding insult to injury, just before tossing Joker into the helicopter, he then told him to "have a seat" while mockingly referring to Harley Quinn's nickname for Joker, "Puddin'". Afterwards, he was presumably released with his prison sentence being up, and reunited with his daughter. However, he had one last unfinished business to deal with regarding Amanda Waller, where he proceeded to scope her with his sniper rifle as revenge for the mission.

After Arkham

After being contracted by Strange to kill his targets during the night of Protocol 10, Deadshot began moving in and out of the prison under the identity of an inmate, storing weaponry and equipment and stalking future victims. At one point, Lawton attended Two-Face's trial against Joker as a juror, where he voted the clown guilty in addition to threatening to murder him.

Batman: Arkham City

"You made me miss my target, Batman! I never miss!"

―Deadshot after Batman saved Jack Ryder

Deadshot is one of the side-story villains in Batman: Arkham City. In the beginning of the game he poses as an inmate to once again infiltrate Arkham City. When Bruce Wayne passes him, he comments that Wayne is on his list and triggers a finger gun at him. After he was hired by Hugo Strange to kill Batman, Deadshot moved through Arkham City in search of six primary targets, including both Bruce Wayne and Batman, that are a danger to Strange's efforts in the city.

His first three assassinations were Lawrence Graham, Andrew Brian, and Sarli Javohody, of whom the first worked on the communication relays of Wonder Tower, and the second was presumably involved in the development of TYGER's weapons systems. While Batman is unable to save three of the six targets, he is able to rescue Jack Ryder from assassination. Batman then tracked down Deadshot to the rooftop of a nearby building, and took him down there. Deadshot was then imprisoned in one of the inoperable train cars, and Batman stated to Oracle that he'll report Deadshot's location to Commissioner Gordon.

"This isn't over, Batman! I swear!"

―Deadshot after being defeated by Batman

After Arkham City's evacuation and shut down, it can be assumed that Batman reported Deadshot's location to Gordon, allowing him to be taken back to Blackgate prison.

Batman: Arkham Knight

Deadshot was among those released from Arkham City after the scandal arising from it was exposed. However, the GCPD ensured he couldn't conduct any more assassination-related crimes by keeping his equipment confiscated even after releasing him.

Attributes

Deadshot's profile

• Expert with all firearms and projectile weapons; guns and targeting scope integrated into costume
• Capable at hand-to-hand combat and in excellent physical condition
• Skilled with advanced ricochet shots at certain positions

Psychological Profile

 Deadshot

Real Name: Floyd Lawton

GCPD Profile

Prior to his dishonorable discharge, Lawton received "Expert" level Army Marksmanship Qualification Badges in all AR670-1 weapon categories. Academy instructors remarked that he didn't find directly hitting targets a challenge and has a tendency to insert his own additional requirements in order to "make things interesting".

Little is known about Lawton since his discharge, though he is a suspect in connection with several murders and assassinations, all of which involved uniquely complex ballistic scenarios at long range.

Federal and Interpol warrants have been issued but never served, and Federal warrants alternate between valid and rescinded. Lawton should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Known for high-risk tactics to decrease his survivability and increase difficulty of any task at hand. It is highly likely that Lawton harbors a death wish - consider this when engaging the suspect.

Quotes

Batman: Arkham Origins

Batman Arkham Origins - Game Over Deadshot

Game Over Screens

• "Face to face at last. Though I've gotta say-I was expecting someone a little more intimidating."
• "If fate's decided today is the day, so be it. Just finish me quickly, will ya?"

Game Over Lines

• "Bullseye!"
• "A nice, clean kill. Just the way I like 'em!"

Batman: Arkham City

Game Over Lines

Batman Arkham City - Game Over Deadshot

Deadshot's game over screens.

• "You're next on my list, Batman. Run if you like. Deadshot always hits his target."
• "I never fail to kill my target. You better run, Batman. You're next."
• "The world's greatest detective dies at the hands of the world's greatest assassin."

Trivia

• If Batman tries to use the Disruptor on Deadshot, Batman will say jamming the weapons won't work, as they are custom-made.
• It is unnecessary to defeat him to progress through Arkham Origins; he is a bonus in the "Most Wanted" section.
• Batman: Arkham Origins' design is closer to his appearance in the mainstream comics.
• This incarnation of Deadshot bares a very similar appearance to the incarnation from Batman: Gotham Knight.
• During the first few minutes of gameplay, Deadshot can be seen entering Arkham City dressed as a regular criminal. He tells Bruce Wayne that he is, "... on my list." before motioning to shoot him.
• Deadshot, alongside Clayface, are the only villains who actually weren't supposed to be sent to Arkham City but willingly entered under another villain's instructions.
• It is unknown why Strange hired Deadshot in particular, when he was allied with Ra's Al Ghul and had access to the League of Assassins. Though most likely using said assassins would have tipped off Batman to the fact that Ra's and Strange were working together. Its also possible that Strange planned to trap Deadshot in Arkham City or kill him when he was finished with his mission, or use the mind control drugs he was using on the TYGER guards to make him into his slave.
• Although Deadshot worked for Strange, he did not know Bruce Wayne was Batman as they were both separate names on his hit list.
• Along these lines, Batman had an alibi as Hush was impersonating Bruce Wayne, and in doing so, unknowingly could have put himself in the line of fire.
• He is one of the only villains that Catwoman can access who doesn't have their own unique conversation. All Deadshot does is threaten to kill her if she gets too close to him.
• Deadshot can easily be taken down with a Takedown, the easiest way is to get into the vent, below him.
• He is one of three villains featured in the game (the others being Talia al Ghul and Solomon Grundy) who did not have a biography in Batman: Arkham Asylum.
• If you try and throw a remote control Batarang at Deadshot he will simply shoot it out of the air.
• Unlike when he's defeated in Arkham Origins, Deadshot doesn't ask to be finished off. The tie-in movie, Assault on Arkham, which takes place 3 years earlier in the "Arkham-verse",  shows he has a daughter; thus explaining his change in attitude towards being defeated.

Gallery

Batman: Arkham Origins

Batman: Assault on Arkham

Batman: Arkham City

Deadshot in Arkham City.

Deadshot's character trophy